Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-06-23
NORTH THINKING nP

Few persons who have not had their atten-
ton especially directed to it realize how scarce
and high building sites are in ST. Clairsrille,
and to what extent the material prosperity OF
the town is effected by that fact. Originally,
the dwellings were jammed against each other,
flush with the street, and the rule has been to
stretch the town along the national road
Built on the backbone of ridge, lawns could
not easily be provided for in any event on a
part of that street, but the design of the build
ers at the start evidently was to get their DWELL
ings as nearly On the street as the law would
allow and as a rule their successors have fol-
lowed their example with religious fidelity
With surroundings Of surprising beauty, few
have had the taste to get off Main street with
their dwellings, and consequently the town is
stretched along the pike nearly one mile. A
few pleasant homes have been built on South
Marietta street, and on either end of Main
street, with surroundings that indicate some
love of nature; but these are exceptions, and
the oasis, it were, in the midst of brick walls
and dust and crampsd surroundings. Building
sites for homes are scarce and high. Half lots
(33 feet 'front.' on Main street, within a reason
able distance of the center of town, readily
command from 81 600 to 81, 500, and it is
very rare occurrence that one can be had at any
price.
We started out with the view of calling at
tention to the desrability and practicabiliiy of
opening North Marietta street to the Union |
Cemetery, and street parallel with Main from |
that street to the Northern railway station
Such street, 100 feet wide, laid off in quarter
acre lots, and shaded upon either side with |
naples and other forest trees, would afford am
pie room for lawns and other pleasant sur
roundings, and could be made one of the hand
soonest streets in all eastern Ohio. The con-
Formation of the ground is much more favora-
able than in any other part of the town. The
grade of the street would be easy, at what would
be its west end is one of the handsomest glens
to be found anywhere, and the ground in every
way favors a handsome street. OF course, the
street up to the court house would be widened
and improved, but the latter would be a COM
paratively small undertaking.
Lots upon the streets indicated would find
buyers within reasonable time, if sold at a
fair price, and we are convinced handsome
and important improvement would result. At
all events. the suggestions made are worth COR
sidering and we would impress upon all inter-
ested the fact that the high prices and scarcity
of building sites are very great detriment to
the material prosperity of the town.
Money can be made in real estate right here,
if handled judiciously and with but small share
of the industry and courage required in the So
called booming towns.
" Beautiful for situation" surrounded by q
country of unsurpassed fertility and richness,
unequalled for heslthfulness and all else that {
can contribute to the happiness of man, splen-
did scenery, the center of the finest system of
roads in eastern Ohio, abundance of cheap fuel
Of the best quslity-we need only a master
spirit, with some means and courage, to put the
town on the highway to prosperous future
Of course it can not become city, but there is
no reason why it should not double its popula-
tion, or more than that, if anything like the
energy and enterprise displayed elsewhere we're
put forth. Our shipping facilities are better
than those of GAINESVILLE, yet GAINESVILLE has
more than double our population. The means
are abundant, notwithstanding the large sums
invested by our people in our river towns.-I
Thirty years ago Canton was a quiet county
town, NO larger than the st. Clairsville of to-
day. citizen of courage proposed to build a
works for the mandatory of farm implements. '
Others stepped forward to assist him, and the
great Aultman works of to-day is the result ,
Others followed, and now Canton is one of the
most important interior cities of Ohio. Other
instances sf what pluck and energy will do
might be cited the country is full of them.
The multitude of trading places that have
sprung up on either side of us have perceptibly
with the business of the town. Some
thing must be done to make up for that loss
The practical thing to do is to take energetic
steps to increase the population of the town
to give people cheap building sites, and to fur
nish employment for men and boys.
We are proposing no Utopian scheme. The
measures herein suggested are practical, and
our people are abundantly able to carry them
to a successful conclusion.